Mixing and dispensing apparatus



Nov. 1, 1955 A. E. WHITECAR MIXING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1953 INVENTOR. ALTEN E. WHITECAR ATTORNEYSNov. 1, 1955 A. E. WHITECAR 2,722,357

MIXING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed June 5, 1955. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. ALTEN E. WHITEOAR WM 7-75 ATTORNEYS I32 I34 H4 United StatesPatent 2,722,357 NHXING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Alten E. Whitecar,Westville, N. 1., assignor to Smith,

Kline & French Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application June 5, 1953, Serial No. 359,678 4 Claims. (Cl.22640) This invention relates to mixing and dispensing apparatus.

The apparatus in accordance with this invention has particular utilitywhere capsules, or the like, are to be filled with a plurality ofdifferent ingredients, for example, a mixture of different powders or amixture of pellets containing different materials or having differentcoatings. It will be appreciated, of course, that the apparatus inaccordance with this invention has general utility for the mixing anddelivery of a plurality of solid ingredients in admixture.

It is the broad object of this invention to provide apparatus for mixingand delivering a plurality of ingredients.

It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus havingmeans for thoroughly admixing a plurality of ingredients in bulk andhaving means for directing and controlling the rate of delivery of themixed ingredients.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent onreading the description in conjunction with the following drawings, inwhich:

Figure l is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure of Figure 1 shown inconjunction with a capsule filling table.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the structure of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 ofFigure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially on the plane indicated by theline 55 of Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the structure of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a developed plan view showing the interior construction ofthe cylindrical body member of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 8-8 ofFigure 6.

Since the principal utility of the apparatus in accordance with thisinvention is in connection with filling capsules, an embodiment of theinvention will be described herein for purposes of illustration asapplied to the filling of capsules.

As shown in Figure 1, the numeral 10 designates a cylindrical bodysuitably fabricated of any sheet material, such as metal. The body 10 isclosed at the rear end 12 and open at the front 14. It is rotatablymounted on four rollers 16, 18, and 22. The rollers 16 and 18 arerotatably mounted directly on yoke shaped members 24 and 26,respectively. Rollers 20 and 22 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 28,which in turn is rotatably journaled on the yoke members 24 and 26. Apipe frame 25 supports the yoke 24 from the floor while yoke 26 ismounted on a capsule filling table 27.

A pinion is secured to shaft 28 near the rear end 12 of the body member10. The pinion 30 is positioned adjacent to and in engagement with aring gear 34, secured to the outer surface of the body 10. A disc 30secured to gear 30 engages a groove 34 in gear 34 to prevent axialmovement of body 10. A sprocket gear 36 is alsosecured to the shaft 28.Thus, when sprocket 36 is rotated, the pinion 30 is rotated, drivingring gear 34, thus rotating body 10 to perform the blending and mixingto be described.

Body 10 is provided with an opening 40, which is covered by arectangular, arcuately shaped door 42, hingedly mounted at 44 andconforming to the general tubular contour of body member 10. Severallatch members 46 are provided to hold door 42 shut while the device isin operation. Opening 40 serves as a loading port wherein a variety ofdifferent types or sizes of pellets may be deposited to be mixed orblended and subsequentlyfed from the front of body 10 onto a capsulefilling table 27.

Within body 10 is a bulkhead 50 which divides the body 10 into forwardand rear compartments 52 and 54, respectively. The construction withinthe compartments 52 and 54 is best seen by reference to Figure 7. Theforward compartment 52 is provided with four angularly shaped baflles53, which extend axially within said compartment and are secured to theinner wall of body 10. A plurality of feeder strips 55 are securedbetween the baflies 53. Feeder strips 55 are segmental spiral bladeslocated circumferentially within said body 10.

In compartment 54 are located three equally spaced longitudinal baffles57 which, like the baffles 53, are angularly shaped strips secured tothe inner wall of body 10. One leg of each bafile 57, therefore,projects inwardly radially.

The bulkhead 50 and its attendant structure occupy the space indicatedby the dimension lines of the zone Z as shown in Figure 7.

Bulkhead 50 has two arcuate oppositely disposed openings 56. A boss 58is welded to the rear side of bulkhead 50 at its center and a hole 60through it forms one bearing for valve stem 62. A second bearing 64 forsaid valve stem is located on a cross member 66 secured to the forwardopen end of body 10. Supported on the valve stem 62 is a valve plate 70of substantially circular shape, but having two opposed largesemicircular indents 72. At its center a boss 74 is secured to itsforward side. An opening 76 is provided in boss 74 through which thevalve stem 62 passes. A slot 78 is cut in the forward end of boss 74. Apin 80, secured in valve stem 62, engages said slot 78, causing thevalve plate 70 to rotate with valve stem 62.

A collar 82 is secured to valve stem 62. A spring 84 is compressedbetween the forward cross member 66 and the collar 82, thus pushing thevalve stem rearwardly biasing valve plate 70 against the bulkhead 50. Anoperating handle 86 is secured to the forward end of valve stem 62,which projects beyond the cross member 66.

A small tab 90 is bent backward from a corner of the valve plate '70 andprojects through one of the arcuate openings 56 in bulkhead 50 to serveas a limit stop at the fully open and fully closed position of thevalve.

A funnel 91 is located at the forward end 14 of body 10. Funnel 91 hasan arcuate channel shaped member 92 which fits around the lowerperiphery of body 10. A down spout 94 is centrally located at the bottomof member 92 and a skirt 96 is fastened to the forward flange of member92. A small angular clip 98 (see Figures 1 and 2) is fastened at therear of downspout 94 and has secured thereto an operating bar 100. Bar100 is made of two parts, a front flat member 102 and a rear circularrod 104, which are welded together at 106. The operating bar 100 isslidably supported in the yoke shaped members 24 and 26.

Referring further to the means for rotating body 10 and particularlyreferring to Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8, sprocket 36 is driven by a chainfrom drive sprocket 112 at the rear of a control housing 114. Thecontrol housing 114 contains a clutch mechanism 116 and a train ofreduction gears 113 (see Figure 5). The drive sprocket 112 is secured toa stub shaft 120 (Figure 5) which has secured to it a gear 122 ofreduction gears 118. Gear 122 is driven by a gear 124 rotatablysupported on control housing 114. Gear 124 is driven by a pinion 126secured to a stub shaft 128 which also has secured thereto a gear 130.Gear 130 is driven by a pinion 132 which 3 is secured to a shaft 134journalled in control housing 114. Also secured to shaft 134 is a bevelgear 136 which meshes with a bevel gear 138 secured to the driven shaft140 of clutch 116.

The clutch 116 is shown in detail in Figure 8. Splined to the lower endof shaft 140 is the jaw clutch element 142. It is biased downwardly bycompression spring 144. A cam element 146, rotatably mounted on shaft140, provides means for raising or lowering clutch element 142 by meansof the cam follower 148 which engages cam surface 150 of cam element146. An operating handle 152 is secured to the upper part of cam element146 providing means to rotate it through about 30 and thus engage clutch116.

It will be seen in Figure 8 that a movement of handle 152 will rotatecam surface 150 causing the rise or descent of cam follower 148,bringing clutch element 142 into or out of engagement with a jaw clutchelement secured to a continuously rotated drive shaft 162. Shaft 162forms part of the drive mechanism within capsule filling table 27, aswill be further described.

Also secured to the cam element 146 is an arm having an outwardlyprojecting finger 172. A link 174 is pivotally connected at 176 to theouter end offinger 172. The opposite end of link 174 is pivotallyconnected at 177 to the fiat portion 102 of operating bar 100. Movementof the handle 152 serves to engage and disengage clutch 116 andsimultaneously moves funnel 91 into and out of operating position.

Figure 2 illustrates the machine in its operating position having thefunnel 91 moved forward over a rotatable capsule holder H, well known tothe art. A pad 27, mounted immediately in back of funnel 91, supportsyoke member 26. When funnel 91 is retracted the bottom opening ofdownspout 94 passes over pad 27', thus sealing downspout 94.

The table 27 and its attendant drive mechanism 180 may be of anysuitable type already used for filling capsules. A simplified one shownin Figures 2 and 6 comprises a drive motor 182 and a speed reducing gearbox 184. A shaft 186 from said gear box rotates a drive disc 188, whichis provided with a drive pin at the outer periphery of its uppersurface. Drive pin 190 is adapted to engage an inwardly projecting lug Hon the capsule holder H.

A sprocket 200 is secured to shaft 186 and by means of chain 202 drivesa sprocket 204 on the bottom of clutch shaft 162.

The machine is operated in the following manner.

Through the opening 40 desired quantities of various sizes or types ofpellets are deposited into the chamber 54 of body 10. After closing andlocking door 42, the chamber 54 is sealed off by adjusting the valve 70to its fully closed position, by means of handle 86. Engagement ofclutch 116 will then cause a rotation of the body 10 through thereduction gears 118, sprocket chain 110 and the main drive gears 30 and34. The bafile members 57 within chamber 54 will then produce an initialmixing and blending of the pellets.

With the clutch 116 disengaged, valve 70 may then be opened anydesirable amount. At this stage a capsule holder H may be positioned ondisc 188 to be driven by pin 190. The control handle 152 is again movedengaging clutch 116. The pellets in chamber 54 will spill forwardthrough openings 56 in bulkhead 50 into the forward chamber 52. Here thepellets are advanced by the segmental feeder strips 55 toward the funnel91. They are further mixed and blended by the baffie members 53 untilthey finally spill out the forward end 14 of body 10 into funnel 91.

Movement of operating arm 152 to engage the clutch 116 simultaneouslyadvances said funnel 91 over the capsule holder H by means of finger172, pivotal link 174 and bar 100. Thus, downspout 94 is clearedfrom pad27' and releases pellets over capsule holder H. In this position thefunnel is adapted to receive pellets from body 10. Skirt 96 acts tocatch any pellets which drip out when the funnel is in the retractedposition.

By this means the pellets are being mixed and blended while being fed tocapsules in capsule holder H and the rate of feed is readilycontrollable by means of the adjustable valve member 70.

It is not desired to be limited except as set forth in the followingclaims, the above description being by way of illustration only.

What is claimed is:

1. A mixing and dispensing device comprising a cylindrical member havingan open end and a closed end, a bulkhead between said open and closedends separating the cylindrical member into two compartments, a valve insaid bulkhead, baffie means secured between the bulkhead and the closedend of the cylindrical member, second baffie means secured between thebulkhead and the open end of said cylindrical member, feeder stripssecured between the bulkhead and the open end of said cylindricalmember, means to rotate said cylindrical member about its axis includinga clutch, a funnel mounted for reciprocation in the direction of theaxis of said cylindrical member and adapted to receive discharge fromthe open end of said cylindrical member, a pad mounted below said funneland control means adapted to actuate said clutch and said funnel toplace the funnel over the pad on disengaging the clutch to block thedischarge end of the funnel and free of the pad on engaging the clutch.

2. A mixing and dispensing device comprising a cylindrical member havingan open end and a closed end, a bulkhead between said open and closedends separating the cylindrical member into two compartments, a valve insaid bulkhead, bafile means secured between the bulkhead and the closedend of the cylindrical member, second baffle means secured between thebulkhead and the open end of said cylindrical member, feeder stripssecured between the bulkhead and the open end of said cylindricalmember, a funnel adapted to receive the discharge from the open end ofsaid cylindrical member, a rotatable capsule holder positioned below thedischarge end of said funnel, means to rotate said capsule holder andsaid cylindrical member, and control means to selectively block flowfrom said funnel and simultaneously stop the rotation of the capsuleholder and cylindrical member.

3. A mixing and dispensing device comprising a mixing drum having anopen end and a closed end, means to rotate said drum about its axisincluding a clutch, a funnel mounted for reciprocation in the directionof the axis of said drum and adapted to receive discharge from the openend of said drum, a pad mounted below said funnel and control meansadapted to actuate said clutch and said funnel to place the funnel overthe pad on disengaging the clutchto block the discharge end of thefunnel and to place the funnel free of the pad on engaging the clutch.

4. A mixing and dispensing device comprising a rotating mixing drumhaving an open end and a closed end, a funnel adapted to receivedischarge from the open end of said drum, a rotating capsule holderpositioned below the discharge end of said funnel, a pad mounted belowthe discharge end of said funnel and adjacent said capsule holder, andcontrol means to selectively engage the discharge end of said funnel andsaid pad and simultaneously stop the rotation of the capsule holder anddrum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS794,069 Anglund July 4, 1905 1,108,523 Sexton Aug. 25, 1914 1,373,521Neller Apr. 5, .1921 2,492,792 Ford ...J Dec. 27, 1949 2,501,566 HillMar. 21, 1950 2,530,403 Seaman Nov. 21, 1950

